Remembering Japan

I've been invited to share with a group of homeschool boys about my experience in Japan.  So I'll take along some sushi and a Japanese apple pear to give them a taste of Japan, and I'll tell them a bit of my story.

I went to Japan in 1978, a reluctant missionary.  It was during my good-guy-for-God period, when I thought that I could just "shine my light" without needing to talk about my faith.  When I got to Japan and met the lovely students, neighbors, and community people with whom I lived and worked, I realized that most of them didn't know the Good News of Jesus Christ.  But I did, and I could share His love with them.  My whole approach to being a missionary changed with that revelation.  I learned to be open about the Lord but not pushy, a friend to the people I met while reflecting the grace of God to them.  And I began to see life through the eyes of people who had no exposure to the gospel so that I could share it better with them.

Along with my story, I have prepared a power point for my presentation tomorrow.  Here are some pictures that I think they will enjoy.

Children's Day in Japan is celebrated on May 5.  It especially honors boys, and is to celebrate the healthy growth of younger boys in particular.  Carp windsocks are flown from homes of families with boys, a very large fish for the eldest son, and ranging in size for each younger brother.  You can learn more about this festival here.

My church family in Sendai gave me this yukata (summer kimono) as a going-away gift.  Here we are, gathered together on the church steps not long before I returned home.

The sweet potato truck!  My pastor's son, Susumu, stands in front of a truck that is set up to cook sweet potatoes.  What a joy it was, on a cold winter's evening, to hear the loud "hooooooo" of the steam whistle on the sweet potato truck as it entered the neighborhood.  We would gather some yen, throw on a coat and shoes (which we did not wear in the house) and rush out to buy a sweet potato, hot out of the steam oven in the back of the truck.  The driver would take our money, wrap a sweet potato in newspaper, and drive off down the road, leaving us happily enjoying a wonderful treat.

Yosemite Nature Notes -- Frazil Ice

Here's an idea for you if you have some vacation time in March or April.  Let us know if you actually get to see this yourself.

North America, 1650

From Microcolour International website, this map and the following explanation appear.  The map is available for sale on their site:


This brilliant coloured map by Nicolas Sanson is a fascinating combination of scientific cartography and geographic misinformation. While it was the first printed map to show all five of the Great Lakes, it perpetuated the tradition of depicting California as a huge island. The legendary lands of Ciboa and Quivira are vaguely located in the Southwest and the Rio Grande is shown with its mouth on the west coast.

Hymn of the Month -- 2000 Years

This is one of Samuel's favorite songs. because it tells "the whole story of Jesus."  If you want to know more about Travis Cottrell, you can check out his website.

Feed Me!

It was one of our rare meals in a restaurant when we were young. After weeks of practicing our manners at home, our parents decided we were ready for an outing. After church one Sunday we trotted off to the B&M in Marysville.  The place was jam-packed. Seated around a large table in the middle of the restaurant, we watched the wait staff dash back and forth, always passing us and never stopping to face the family with "all those kids!" Finally two-year-old Teddy had had enough. He picked up his fork in one hand and his spoon in the other and banged them on the tray of his high chair and bellered at the next waitress who passed, "Listen here, you lung lady, bring us some supper!"

(Come, now!  Who'd be afraid to serve this sweet family!!)

Provision

In Mark 8, when Jesus told the disciples that He had compassion on the large, hungry crowd and explained the dilemma to them (they'd been with him for three days with nothing to eat and, if he were to send them home hungry they'd collapse on the way), the disciples questioned him.  "Where in this remote place can anyone get enough bread to feed them?"

But the disciples had all they needed to feed the crowd.  They had seven loaves, and they had Jesus.

The Intentional Witness

In talking about sharing our faith these last couple of weeks, have explored the importance of a lifestyle that allows for us to live for Christ and share His love with others as opportunities arise.  But there is also a place for sharing intentionally.  Lilias Trotter is surely an example of being a bold and direct witness for Christ.  She was not insensitive to the people with whom she worked, but from a heart of love and gratitude to God she shared freely with others.

John Gunderson was born in Columbia, South America and adopted by a family from the United States.  Out of a heart of love and gratitude to God, he found his birth family and shared with them the message of salvation through Christ.  This video, from Haven Today, tells his story.